Feeder and method for feeding livestock

Abstract

A feeder for horses or other livestock includes a housing having a compartment with an air-permeable floor for subjacently supporting a pile of hay, or other type of livestock feed. The compartment is superiorly accessible for allowing feeding from atop the pile of hay or other type of livestock feed. A blower located downstream of the compartment can draw air downwardly through the compartment. With hay or other type of livestock feed loaded into the feed compartment, the blower can draw air downwardly through the compartment and through the floor. Thus, airborne material from the hay or other type of livestock feed is drawn away from an animal that may be feeding from the top of the compartment.

1 . A livestock feeder comprising:
 a housing having a compartment with an air-permeable floor for subjacently supporting a pile of food, said compartment being superiorly accessible for allowing feeding from atop said pile of food; and   a blower located downstream of said compartment for drawing air downwardly through said compartment.   
     
     
         2 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 1  wherein said blower is mounted in said housing under said compartment for drawing air downwardly therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 1  comprising:
 a filter mounted in said housing between said floor and said blower. 
 
     
     
         4 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 3  wherein said compartment includes a drawer frame encompassing and supporting said air permeable floor, said housing comprising:
 a door for allowing access to said filter and said drawer frame. 
 
     
     
         5 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 4  wherein said floor comprises:
 a screen overlaid with a porous panel. 
 
     
     
         6 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 3  comprising:
 a proximity sensor located at said compartment for operating said blower in order to produce an airflow when the feeder is in use. 
 
     
     
         7 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 6  comprising:
 a timer coupled to said proximity sensor for delaying stopping of said blower when livestock moves away from said compartment. 
 
     
     
         8 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 3  wherein said housing has an exhaust vent for discharging air drawn through said blower. 
     
     
         9 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 8  wherein said exhaust vent is superiorly located to reduce ground drafts. 
     
     
         10 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 9  wherein said housing has a side chamber for feeding air drawn from said compartment upwardly to said exhaust vent. 
     
     
         11 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 9  wherein said housing has a lid with a hole for allowing livestock access to said compartment, said lid can be displaced for filling said compartment with feed. 
     
     
         12 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 9  wherein said housing includes:
 a door for allowing access to and servicing of said filter. 
 
     
     
         13 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 12  comprising:
 a sliding tray supporting said blower, said door providing access to said blower and permitting removal of said tray and said blower. 
 
     
     
         14 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 3  wherein said housing has a pair of superiorly located exhaust vents for discharging air drawn through said blower, said housing having a pair of side chambers for feeding air drawn from said compartment upwardly to different corresponding ones of pair of said exhaust vents. 
     
     
         15 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 14  wherein said housing is five sided, said compartment being four-sided with two adjacent sides being contiguous with different corresponding ones of said pair of side chambers, said side chambers being three-sided. 
     
     
         16 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 15  wherein one of said side chambers is hinged to swing outwardly and allow access to said filter and said blower. 
     
     
         17 . A livestock feeder according to  claim 1  wherein said housing has a lid with a hole for allowing livestock access to said compartment, said lid can be displaced for filling said compartment with food. 
     
     
         18 . A method for feeding livestock with a blower and a food compartment having an air-permeable floor, the method comprising the steps of:
 loading food into said food compartment;   using said blower from a position located downstream of said compartment to draw air downwardly through said compartment and through said floor; and   allowing livestock to eat the food from the top of the compartment.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  comprising the step of:
 filtering air flowing between said compartment and said blower. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  comprising the step of:
 diverting air from said compartment upwardly to exhaust from an upper location in order to reduce ground drafts. 
 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein said compartment has a lid with an access hole, the method comprising the step of:
 displacing said lid for filling said compartment with food. 
 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein said blower is mounted on a sliding tray, the method comprising the step of:
 removing the blower by outwardly sliding the tray. 
 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20  comprising the step of:
 starting said blower when livestock approaches said compartment. 
 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23  comprising the step of:
 stopping said blower after a predetermined delay following departure of livestock from said compartment. 
 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the step of loading food is performed by loading hay into the food compartment.